Forget the idiom. Everybody does judge a book by its cover.

First impressions are crucial when trying to land a sale, especially in the promotional products industry. You’re dealing with overburdened and under-resourced decision-makers who are pressed for time. Without a good first impression to win them over, you’re unlikely to get a second shot.

“You’re asking someone to trust you with their business,” says Michelle Bottino, owner of Fully Promoted St. Charles, IL, an affiliate of Top 40 distributor Fully Promoted (asi/384000). “They have to allow you to ask a bunch of personal questions about what they do, what type of customers they want to acquire, how much money they’re able to spend. They must have faith in you to get the job done.”

Sales coach Dave Mattson, CEO and president of Sandler Training, compares a first meeting to surgical triage. You have to cover a lot of ground in a little bit of time, he says. “People generally have a wall up when they feel they’re being sold to,” Mattson says. “Our job is to make them feel comfortable so we can ask questions and they’re willing to answer honestly. The best doctors you know are the ones who actually talk to you rather than reciting medical jargon. You want to talk to a person in the language in which they interpret the world.”

Nobody knows the importance of a good first impression better than a politician. Diane Hall, owner of distributorship Promotions Plus, also happens to be the mayor of Milo, IA. Meeting with her constituents on a daily basis, Hall says she’s always conscious of how she comes across to others. “I always try to speak positively and honestly,” she says. “Even though I might not be looking for a new client, I want to give the impression that people can trust and rely upon me.”

And those impresssions can be formed through everything from chance in-person meetings, to a planned phone call, to email and social media interactions. Here are top strategies and best practices to make a positive first impression.

In-Person: Look and Act the Part

When you’re meeting a potential customer for the first time, you want to look your best. That doesn’t mean a tuxedo, but you should be dressed for the occasion. If you’re heading into the boardroom for a meeting with an executive of a Fortune 500 company, a dress or suit and tie is vital. If you’re meeting a business owner in a less formal setting, perhaps a nice pair of slacks and polo will suffice.

“People form first impressions within 10 seconds,” says Lisa Peskin, CEO of Business Development University. “You should be well groomed, dressed properly and wearing something memorable. One of my clients wears a bow tie, another wears a cowboy hat. Some wear scarves, pins, bright colors, anything to respectfully stand out.”

In addition to your appearance, your body language is important in making a positive first impression. Always smile, give a firm handshake and look people in the eye. These non-verbal skills show interest and will help break the ice. Keep your phone in your pocket so you’re not tempted to check texts or emails. You want to give your prospect your undivided attention, making them feel as if they’re the only person in the room.

“I invite everyone to come in to the office because most people crave human connection and want to talk to a real person,” Bottino says. “A lot of companies have driven people away from talking to an actual person. Salespeople can be so pushy and I’m not that at all. Most people’s favorite conversation is about themselves. People want to talk to someone who can help their business grow.”

If you need an opening line, Peskin suggests using humor. (Her go-to is “You look like you wanted to meet me.”) If cracking jokes isn’t your thing, you can compliment their clothing. If you’re not comfortable with that, she recommends asking questions about the setting: isn’t this food delicious, what did you think of the speaker, how did you find out about this event, etc. “If all else fails, say your name and then ask their name and what they do,” Peskin says. “I want to hear the first 30 seconds of the conversation so I can customize my sales pitch to best fit their personality.”

It doesn’t hurt to leave your potential customer with a small memento, a token of appreciation for their time. After all, this is the promotional products industry.

Phone Calls: Go in With a Plan

Introducing yourself over the phone can be challenging – most people hang up within seconds. Cold calling doesn’t work 90.9% of the time, according to the Harvard Business Review. In order to attain success, you have to be resilient and willing to accept rejection over and over again.

The best strategy for engaging customers over the phone is to prepare ahead of dialing, says Gary Austin, owner of Jackson, TN-based Gary Austin Advertising (asi/127581) and ThePenGuy.com. “We want to make sure we understand the business the customer is in,” Austin says. “We want to know who their buyer is and how other businesses in their space are using promotional products. We’re introducing ourselves as a solution to a problem that every business encounters: how to attract and retain customers.”

Austin stresses that rather than calling with the intent of selling, you want to connect with a focus on problem-solving. The standard greeting goes something like: “Good afternoon Mr. or Mrs. business owner, how are you today? We’re a marketing company that works with businesses of all sizes to help them better understand and reach their customers. In your business, do you have a harder time attracting and reaching new customers or retaining the customers you already have?”

“At that point the call is all about listening and finding ways that our products can solve problems this particular customer is encountering,” Austin says. “We know how effective promotional products are and can be. We just have to help the business owner discover the right strategy and product line.”

However, having a script in place doesn’t always translate well. It’s important to be loose and versatile in conversation, ready to go wherever the caller takes you. If you’ve done your homework and understand their business and audience, you’ll be well equipped to answer any questions.

Sometimes, you’ll have to make a positive impression twice – first with the gatekeeper, who can then put you through to the decision-maker. Ditch the script and don’t sell to them; act confident and subtly recruit them to your side. Be open about asking for their help to connect you with the right person.

Email: Stand Out in the Crowd

Email is the dominant form of communication in the promotional products industry; nearly 92% of end-buyers use it to do business with distributors, according to ASI research. Older generations have adopted it, and despite all the chatter over social media and texting, younger generations do rely on email. In fact, nearly 68% of teenagers and 73% of twenty-somethings prefer communications from businesses to come via email, according to email marketing company Adestra.

But with people receiving hundreds of emails per day, it’s imperative to grab the prospect. “It’s better to be quick and to the point in an email,” says Mike Fossano, vice president of account services at Royal Oak, MI-based Premier Communications Group (asi/298496). “We like to have prepared documents that demonstrate the scope of our work and what we can provide. Hopefully, an email will strike enough interest to lead to a phone call with a potential customer.”

“People form first impressions within 10 seconds. You should be well groomed, dressed properly and wearing something memorable.” Lisa Peskin, Business Development University

Compelling subject lines are essential. They must be attention-getting but not misleading. And because email apps will cut off the subject line, make sure the first 35 characters contain the most important words.

There are also many pitfalls to avoid, such as misspellings, incorrect grammar and misrepresentation of tone. If someone doesn’t know your sense of humor, they can misconstrue what you intended as a joke as an insult. Read your email aloud to make sure the message you’re trying to get across is easily understood. Also, always proofread your writing before sending. Use your built-in spellcheck or free software tools like Grammarly to fix any mistakes and make your message crystal clear.

Even though you’re trying to connect with a stranger, you don’t want to appear too familiar too fast, says Scott Edinger, founder of Edinger Consulting Group. “Don’t be glib,” Edinger says. “Starting your email with ‘hope all is well’ is such a throwaway line. If you’re trying to sell to an executive, get to the point. The goal should be to set up a longer conversation.” 

Texting: Instant Accessibility

Texting is arguably the most popular method of communication these days. It’s not just for interacting with friends and family – 64% of consumers are likely to perceive a company contacting them by text in a positive light, according to market research company Harris Interactive.

But when you text someone for the first time without a referral or a name to drop, it can be construed as intrusive. Edinger advises against texting to form a first impression with a potential customer. “All you’re doing is interrupting something immediately,” Edinger says. “They don’t know you, so you’re already starting out behind the eight ball.”

Millennials and Gen Zers are more likely to be comfortable with having the first contact occur through text. If the prospect comes through a referral, try, if possible, to confirm it’s OK to contact the person through a text.

Collin Spratlin, account manager at Brand+Aid (asi/145193) in Salt Lake City, changes how he communicates via text depending on the type of client. If the client is older and more traditional, then Spratlin will type like it’s a standard email. If the client is younger and hipper, then the conversation becomes shorthand with quick updates. Versatility is key in accommodating a diverse client base.

Spratlin says his most loyal clients prefer to text. “Customers want to see proofs via text,” he says. “It’s easier than going back and forth on email and I still have everything in writing.”

Social Media: Do Your Research

The importance of maintaining an active social media presence should be common knowledge by now. After all, more than 30% of distributors say social networking has gained them new business in 2018, up from 19% four years prior, according to 2019 Counselor State of the Industry data.

Brian Wiedenmann, owner of Eagle, ID-based Proforma Complete Branding Solutions (asi/300094), has mastered the art of making a positive first impression on social media. Relying on LinkedIn, he’s achieved tremendous sales over the past three years, growing over 744%. “Through LinkedIn, I’ve quadrupled the amount of prospects I traditionally saw in the Boise market,” Wiedenmann says. Before messaging potential clients, he’ll scour their profiles to learn about their background and check out their common connections, finding some way to personalize his sales pitch.

It all goes back to learning about your customer, says Noah Lapine, president of Stamford, CT-based Lapine Inc. (asi/249352). “You need to understand their brand, culture and demographic in order to make sure the message of who you are resonates with your target audience,” Lapine says. “You have to understand the persona of who you’re reaching out to; procurement has a different mindset than marketing. You can’t have a ‘one size fits all’ approach.”

Lapine also uses LinkedIn to meet new customers, but he’s wary of relying upon mutual connections. “A lot of people who are connected on there don’t necessarily know each other,” Lapine says. He suggests determining the nature of the connection before asking for a referral. Are they colleagues? Former co-workers? Just friends? It can be an awkward start to reach out based on a mutual connection the customer doesn’t know.

“We’re very cautious in protecting the relationships we have,” Lapine says. “Instead of asking someone to just warm us up, it becomes a much more positive request for an introduction if you have something to offer and illustrate the value you bring. If done the right way, it’s people’s nature to want to help you out.”

John Corrigan is a senior writer for Advantages. Tweet: @Notready4Radio. Contact: jcorrigan@asicentral.com